A New Voice

From a Radioactive Cell Biologist to a War Historian, Cambridge Lecturer and Model, Felicia Yap Is Capable of Doing Almost Anything! Tammy Chan Grabs the Opportunity to Find Out More About This Amazing Lady and Her Debut Novel Yesterday.

- Tammy Chan

When asked which aspect of her life she remembers most, Felicia explains that it had to be the memories from her catwalk days as they were vivid and exciting. “It was fun to swish down the runways in pretty dresses and jewellery,” she recalls. She also explained that those memories were helpful when she was writing Yesterday as they made her realise that emotions are the main element that help humans decide what to remember – or forget.

FEMALE: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Felicia Yap: “I grew up in a tiny house in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. While my family still lives in Malaysia, I left for Singapore at the age of 17 when I received an ASEAN Pre-University Scholarship. I ended up living in Cambridge, England, for 12 years and continued pursuing both my Masters and PhD at the university. This is partly why Yesterday is set there – Cambridge is imprinted in my mind and heart.”

F: Any fun facts about you that might surprise us?

FY: “I enjoy ballroom dancing, scuba diving and horse riding. My fiancé and I used to compete at the International Amateur Dance sport circuit, competing in ballroom performances in the UK, US, Malaysia, etc. Besides that, my other favourite activities are white-water rafting, windsurfing, yoga, tennis and hiking. At one point, I was ranked sixth in Malaysia at competitive Scrabble.”

F: Was writing something you’ve always wanted to do? How did your interest develop?